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(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1. R. J. SHEBHY.

PRINTING TELEGRAPE. No. 370.357. Patented sep-t. zo, 1.887.

623% kmo/oen u guna/who@ N. PETERS. PhawLxxhugnpher. wmngmn. D, C.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.) l

R. J. SHEEHY.

PRINTING TELBGRAPH.

No. l37o-,357. Patented spn 2o, '1887.

N. PETERS. Pholu-umugrnpher, washingmn. D. C.

Nrrnn STATES ATRNT risica.

PRINTING-iTELEGFAPH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 370,357, dated September 20, 1887.

Application filed March 24. 1886. Serial No. 196,340. (No model.)

To all whom, it' may concern:

Be it known that I, ROBERT J. SHEEHY, a citizen of the United States, residing in New York, in the county and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Printing-Telegraphs, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to the class of apparatus employed for printing messages and dispatches telegraphically from one or moretypewheels capable of being revolved by electric currents transmitted from a distant station.

The object of the invention is to provide a simple, efficient, and rapidly-operating instrument, which may be manufactured at asmall expense, which is noiseless in its movements, and is operated without the use of drivingweights, such as are usually employed for operating printing-telegraph instruments.

The invention consists, in general terms, in organizing the instrument in essentially the following manner: In place of an escapement device driven by a weight or spring, an electric motor is employed for securing the required revolution of the type-wheel shaft. This motor preferably consists of two electromagnets included in two independent linewires, and having pole-pieces projecting toward a common center. The pole-pieces form an annular field for a revolving armature. The armature is carried upon a shaft,which is journaled to the type-wheel shaft, and is advanced by the alternate vitalization of the two electro-magnets. and a regulated movement of the type-wheel shaft is secured. One of the electro-magnets is employed for assisting in the revolution of the armature, and also for arresting the same when the current is continued through its coils. The other electro-magnet is employed, not for arresting the armature, but simply for assisting in revolving the same. Its poles are specially constructed for this purpose. Impressions are effected by means of an armature applied to the poles of the two electromagnets and responding to either a prolonged current or a current of increased strength, or to a current sent through both electro-magnets at the same time. The latter method is preferable. The impressions are eected from one type-wheel or the other, as desired, by means of two independently-movable platens,

In this manner `a positivev the one or the other of which is impelled against its corresponding type-wheel according to the position of a platen-shifting block which is capable of being placed in either of two positions. Two positions of the typewheel shaft are devoted to shifting this block. When the shaft is arrested in a given position and the press-lever actuated, the shiftingblock will be placed in position to cause one of the platens to be subsequently actuated. If, on the other hand, the type-wheel shaft is arrested in the second position and the presslever'actuated then the block will be moved into position to operate the second platen. This block does not act directly upon the platens, but serves to place a movable latch in position to engage one or the other of the platens, as will be hereinafter fully explained.

Any suitable form of unison device may be applied to the instrument.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation, partly in section, of an instrument embodying the features of the invention. Fig. 2 is a transverse section of the same. Fig. 3 is a detail of the platencontrolling devices, and Fig.4 is an elevation of the front of the instrument.

Referring to thc gures, A' and A2 represent two type-wheels, the former of which is designed to carry, essentially,nu merals and ar bitrary characters and the latter letters. These are carried upon a shaft, B. The shaft carries a toothed wheel, B', which meshes with a pinion, B2. The pinion B2 is carried upon a shaft, B3, which in turn carries a wheel, B4, meshing with a wheel, B5, carried upon a shaft, c, of a motor. This motor is constructed with two electro-magnets, C and C2, having their cores parallel. A main line, L', is connected with the coils c and c2 of the electromagnet C, and a line, L2, leads through the coils c3 and c4 of the magnpt C2. An armature, C, is placed between the poles of these magnets, and it is revolved by means of the attraction exerted alternately by the poles of the magnets C and G2. The armature consists of two oppositely-projecting arms, c5 and c", which are preferably curved, as shown, and carry forwardly-projecting extensions c7 and es, respectively. The lengths of these extensions are approximately equal to or slightly less than one-quarter of the circumference of ICO ` therefrom diminishes.

the circle formed by the four projecting polepieces b', b2, b3, and b4 of the electro-magnets. By this construction a portion of the armature will at all times be within the field of each of the electro-magnets. The preponderance of the metal in the arms c5 and c6 insures an advance movement of the motor, in whatever position it may stand, whenever the succeeding electro-magnet is vitalized. It is required, however, that the motor shall come to rest only when the arms of the armature are opposite the poles b and b, for it is only when in that position that printing can be effected.

The pole-pieces b3 and b4 are specially constructed to give a quick advance or starting movement to the armature after it has been brought to rest opposite the poles b and b2, when the magnet C2 is again vitalized; but'this magnet does not serve to arrest the movement of the armature. Preferably the curve of the pole-pieces is eccentric from that of the faces of the armature, so that as the armature advances within the iield of any pole-piece its separation In this manner the armature is allowed to approach more nearly the metal of the pole-pieces as it advances within the fields. The position of strongest attraction, therefore, is opposite the edges of the polepieces last reached by the arms c5 and c, and the armature tends to stop when opposite these curved portions of the pole-pieces b and b2. The portions of the pole-pieces b3 and b4 opposite which the armature might stop are cut away. This construction insures a quick start of the armature after it has been brought to lrest opposite the pole-pieces b and b2, and in no way retards its movement.

The number of teeth in the train of gear between the armature and the type-'wheels is such that one type and space` willmove across the printing-platensfor each half-revolution of the armature, so that in whichever position the armature is stopped one type of each wheel will be above the corresponding printingplaten. In this manner a movement somewhat corresponding to the step-by'step movement of a mechanical escapemeut is secured, and a very rapid revolution of the type-wheels is obtained. The successive impulses which are transmitted alternately through the magnet C and C2 serve to maintain the armature and type-wheels in unison with the transmitter. When the type-wheels have been arrested by prolonging the current through the magnet C', an impression should be effected by means of an additional armature, D, applied to the poles of the electro-magnets C and O2. Preferably this armature responds to the additional attraction exerted by vitalizing the electro-magnet C2, while the magnet C remains vitalized. This armature D, however, does not respond to the rapidly-recurring alternating impulses employed for advancing the type-wheels. Vhen the armature D is drawn forward by the two magnets, it turns its lever E upon its pivot. The lever E engages one arm of a supplemental lever, D',

which isemployed for impelling one or the other of two platens, ce or a2, against the typewheels A or A2.

For the purpose of effecting an impression from either of these type-wheels at will, the following device is employed: Two arms, g and gz, are carried upon the type-wheel shaft B, and these are respectively in alignment with two open or blank spaces upon the typewheels. A lever, G, projects toward the typewheel shaft, and it will be engaged by the arm g or g2 if it is impelled toward the type-wheel shaft when one or the other of the blank spaces is above the platens. rIhe lever is pivoted at g3 upon a support engaged by the press-lever D', and therefore rises and falls with the presslever. The faces of the arms g' and g2 are beveled in opposite directions and serve to turn the lever GfV upon its pivot g3 in one direction or the opposite, accordingly as it strikes against one or the other of the arms. The position of the arm G determines the position of a wedge-shaped extension or shifting block, h, carried upon a sliding bar, H. The lever G is coupled with the bar II, and accordingly as the former is turned in one direction or the other the bar is carried into position to place the shifting block h beneath a tilting platenlatch, k, carried upon a movable support or frame, K. The tilting latch is pivoted to the support or plate K, and is constructed with an extension, la', passing below its pivot 7a2. When the lever falls after effecting an impression, the extension 7a passes upon one side-or the other of the block h. In the drawings, Fig. l, the parts are shown as having been placed in position by the contact of the lever G with the arm g', the press-lever having fallen with the extension 7c upon the rear side of the shifting block h. The tilting detent k is thus turned, so that it will enter a notch, m, upon a bar, M', carrying the platen a. When the pressllever is raised, its end engages the bolt or pivot k2, and the frame K rises, carrying with it the latch 7c, which engages and lifts the arm M.. 'Ihe latter is vertically movable within a stationary frame, K. The upward movement of the frame K will thus carry the platen a toward the type-wheel A and cause an im pression to be made therefrom. The parts are, however, so adj usted that at the moment the platen strikes against the type-wheel A the latch lc will be thrown out of engagement with the notch m and the arm M will fall. Such a release is effected by means of an arm or cross-bar, o, extending from opposite sides of the catch lc. The arm is engaged by two adjustable screws, n and n2, in the frame K. When the catch is in position to strike the platen a and an impression is taken, the bar o willstrike the set-screw or limiting-stop n2, and the further movement of the press-lever and stopKwill tilt the latch la sufficiently to disengage it from the bar M. The bar 0 will then strike against the pin n also, and be set in a horizontal position. Upon the subsequent descent of the platen-frame and press-lever upon IOO IIO

the demagnetization of the two electro-magnets C' and C2 the latch k will be engaged by the block h. In this manner it will be insured that it will occupy the proper position for again engaging the bar M' upon its next upward movement. The platen, however, will have descended to its normal position or rest even beforethe electro-magnetshavebeen demagnetized, thus insuring a quick stroke, and it also results that each impression is made with the same pressure, and that there is no opportunity for theinipression to become blurred by the movement of the paper across the typewheels while pressed against the same by the platen.v the opposite direction by being thrust against the arm g2, then the shifting block h will be moved backward and the latch 7c will be tilted in the opposite direction upon the descent of the frame K. The a'rm M2 will then be engaged by the latch entering the notch m", and the platen a2 will be impelled toward its typewheel A2 at-each upward movement of the press-lever. In like manner, the bar M2 will be released the moment an impression is effected, and the platen allowed to fall by reason of the contact of the bar o with the stop u.

For the purpose of preventing the paper upon which the impressions are being made from striking against one wheel when the printing is to be effected by the other, a movable guard, U, is employed. This consists of a lever pivoted at u to the support K', having two arms or fingers, u' and u2, designedto extend over one edge or the other of the paper. The lower end ofthe lever is forked and a pin, as, projects from the extension k' through the fork. XVhen the latch 7c is in position to print from the wheel A', the finger a2 will hold the paper from the'wheel A2. When the latch is tilted in the opposite direction to effect inipressions from the wheel A2, then the finger u' is thrust between the wheel A' and the corresponding edge of the paper.

Instead of inking the type upon the typewheels by means of inking-rollers, as has usually been the custom, it is preferred in this instance to employ an ink-ribbon, q, which passes over an ink-suppl y roller, a, and is held in a direction parallel to the axis of t-he typewheels, and it is evident that the faces of the type will effect impressions upon the paper through the type-ribbon.` The roller a is suspended-upon the ribbon and its weight maintains the necessary tension. A spring, g3, attached to the press-lever D', engages a ratchetwheel upon the arbor of one of the rollers, q2, and each downward movement of the lever will advance the ribbon one step by reason of this pawl and ratchet-Wheel, thus causing a fresh surface to be presented to the type.

Any suitable forms of unison and paperfeeding devices maybe applied to this instrument, as required; but detailed description of Vhen the lever Ghas been moved inl any particular forms will not here be neces-A sary.

It is' preferred to operate the printing device by causing the magnet C2 to be vitalized while the current is continued through the magnet C'. The armature D will still be held at rest, because of the superior attraction exerted by the electro-magnet C'. After an i'mpression is effected, simply interrupting the circuit through the magnet C' would cause'the armature D to advance; but toinsure that the armature D shall fall away, it is preferred to also interrupt the connections through both magnets,and then complete the circuit through the magnet C2.

ln the drawings there is shown a diagrammatic representatation of a system of keys for transmitting the required currents for operating the instrument. rlhis consists of any suitable device, K', for transmitting 'currentsalternately upon the lines L and L2. ln this instance a continuity-preserving key is shown merely for the purpose of explanation. The spring k is connected with one pole of the battery O. The other pole of the battery is connected with the earth.l The line L' leads to a contact-point, 7c', and the line Lleads to a key, K2, the resting contact 7c2 of which is connected with the lever of the key K'. When the key K' is operated, the currents are sent from the battery O upon the lines L' and L2 alternately. The front contact ofthe key K'l is connected with one pole of a battery, O, the other pole being connected with the earth. When this key is operated, the connection of the line L2 with the key K' is interrupted, and a current is sent from the battery O2. When, therefore, it is desired to vitalize both magnets C' and C2, both keys are depressed, and when both magnets are to be demagnetized the key K'is released, interrupting the connections of the line L', and then the key K2 is also released, and thus the connections of the line L2 Will be interrupted during the time it is passing from its front to its back contact-stop.

I claim as my inventionl. The combination, substantially as hereA inbefore set forth, of two main lines, electromagnets respectively included in said main lines, means for vitalizin g the same alternately, au armature-'shaft revolved by said electromagnets when so vitalized, a type-wheel shaft revolved by said armature-shaft, an impression device, and an armature for operating the same applied to said electro-magnets and responding to currents transmitted over both lines simultaneously.

2.*'Ihe combination, substantially as here inbefore set forth, of a type-wheel shaft, two electro-magnets for controlling the position of the same, two main lines respectively including said electro-magnets, an impression device, and an armature applied to both of said electro-magnets for operating said impression device when simultaneously vitalized.

3. The combination, substantially as here inbefore set forth, of a type-wheel shaft,an elec- IIO tric motor having a revolving armature for revolving said shaft, and'a second armature applied to the magnets of said motor for effecting impressions from said type-wheels.

4. In a printingtelegraph instrument, a motor having a revolving armature and two eleotro-magnets for revolving the same, extended pole-pieces for one magnet for arresting said armature by a prolonged current through said electro-magnet, and pole-pieces of less dimensions for the other electromagnet, whereby such a current through that eleclro-magnet will not arrest the armature.

5. The combination, substantially as hereinbefore set forth, of a type-wheel shaft, a revolving armature, electro-magnets for moving said armature having polar projections for establishing a eld for the same, transmitting devices for alternately vitalizing said magnets, and a circuit-controller constructed to prolong a current through one of said mag'- nets, and means for simultaneously transmitting a current through the other magnet.

6. In aprintingtelcgraph instrument, amotor consisting of the combination of two electro-magnets having their cores parallel and their poles alternately placed with reference to each other, and an armature centrally piv oted with respect thereto and constructed with two oppositely-projecting curved arms, substantially as described.

7. The combination, substantially as here inbefore set forth, with two electro-magnets having their poles alternately placed, of an armature pivoted centrally with respect thereto and revolved thereby, substantially as described, and a second armature applied to the poles of said magnets, and means for moving the last-named armature toward and away from the poles of said magnet.

8. The combination, substantially as hereinbefore set forth, with two electro-magnets having their poles alternately placed, of an armature pivoted centrally with respect there to and revolved thereby, substantially as ldescribed, land a vibrating armature applied t'o the poles of said magnets.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name this 18th day of February,

ROBERT J. SHEEHY. Vitnesses:

DANL. W. EDGEooMB, CHARLES A. TERRY. 

